If I owned property, I would want to decorate my yard like a mini golf course, populated with giant, cartoonish fiberglass creatures. Since that fantasy is out-of-budget, the next best thing is visiting the FAST Fiberglass Mold Graveyard in Sparta, Wisconsin. Hidden behind a fiberglass statue company is a field with massive Big Boys, oversized ice cream cones, giant animals, and pylons the size of buildings. It’s like stepping into the cemetery of a theme park.
Location: 14177 County Hwy Q, Sparta, WI 54656
Hours: Open to the public during daylight hours
Cost: Free! Just be respectful while wandering around and look out for hornet nests.
What is the FAST Fiberglass Mold Graveyard?
FAST Corporation (Fiberglass Animals, Shapes, and Trademarks) is one of the largest fiberglass statue manufacturers in the U.S. They create those towering mascots you see outside of kitschy restaurants or gas stations across the country, or at amusement parks. When a mold has outlived its usefulness, it gets retired to the company’s “graveyard.”
Instead of destroying them, FAST lines up these massive molds behind their factory, creating an unintended sculpture garden of faded giants. Hundreds of molds sit in the field, many very weathered. It’s a little spooky and very magical to wander around!
What’s Nearby?
- Deke Slayton Memorial Space & Bicycle Museum: Located in downtown Sparta, this quirky museum pays tribute to both space exploration and the area’s bicycle history.
- Ben Bikin’ Statue: Sparta calls itself the “Bicycling Capital of America,” and this 32-foot-tall, penny-farthing-riding man proves it.
- House on the Rock: a one-of-a-kind attraction featuring the world’s largest carousel, a 200-foot whale, an eerie Infinity Room, and mind-blowing collections.
Wisconsin has so many cool spots between its outsider art environments, roadside attractions, and state parks. I don’t know that the FAST Fiberglass Mold Graveyard fits into one of those categories but it is weird, unexpected, and totally free. Another gem I can’t recommend highly enough in Wisconsin!
